“Losing Rebecca was a big loss for us. But we have to play together as a team and I think that’s my focus, trying to fit in.”VENUS LACY
Venus Lacy has played practically everywhere, except Venus.
Having seen more of the world than Secretary of State Madeline Albright, the 32-year old Lacy has played in professional leagues in Japan, Italy and Greece.
For the past few years, though, the forceful 6-3, 234-pound center was playing in the ABL before it folded last December.
Instead of returning overseas to play, Lacy used the last five months to finish her sociology degree at Louisiana Tech. It was at Tech where she played three seasons (1988-90) and helped the Lady Techsters win the 1988 national championship.
During her three years, Lacy led Tech to a 96-7 record and was named the ’90 Champion Player of the Year and the USBWA Player of the Year. She holds the records for single-season scoring average (24.2) and for the highest career scoring average (20.0).
After not being drafted in the WNBA’s draft in May, Lacy was signed by the Liberty on June 1. In coming New York, she rejoins former Tech teammate Teresa Witherspoon, one of the stars on the ’88 title team.
Lacy, however, missed the first three games of the regular season because of a split upper lip she suffered in practice by way of an accidental Kym Hampton elbow. She was activated on Tuesday and was in uniform last night when the Liberty faced the Los Angeles Sparks (2-1) at the Garden.
“I look at all this as being a second chance for me,” Lacy said yesterday before the game. “I’m really excited.”
Lacy could become an important addition to the Liberty’s depleted frontcourt. Rebecca Lobo, a 6-4 starting forward and one of the league’s marquee players, is lost for the season after she tore her ACL in the season-opener on June 10.
Still, Lacy, who played with Lobo and the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie on the ’96 gold-medal winning Olympic team, said she’s not worried about having to carry a major load in Lobo’s absence.
“The pressure’s on the whole team,” she said. “It’s not just on one person. Losing Rebecca was a big loss for us. But we have to play together as a team and I think that’s my focus, trying to fit in. It’s not like I have to go out and score all these points.”
Lobo, who might undergo surgery next week or the week after, said Lacy was a good pickup for the Liberty.
“She’s a big strong body who can play defense and who can score [down-low],” Lobo said. “She can definitely help us.’ ‘
Born in Ruston, La., Lacy grew up in Chattanooga, Tenn. She said being in New York is “very intimidating.”
“I’m like an indoor person,” Lacy said. “I like to stay inside and watch a lot of television.”